Online seduction of girl, 15, puts ex-cop in prison

Friday

By day, he worked as the canine officer for the Narragansett Police Department. By night, he was a devoted husband and father of two children.

But behind closed doors, Riley transformed into an online predator, sharing lurid messages as well as photos and videos of his genitalia with a 15-year-old girl in Nebraska.

And on March 26, Riley, 52, of 30 Orchard Ave., Narragansett, will begin serving a 21-month sentence for a single count of transferring obscene material to a minor over the internet.

U.S. District Chief Judge William E. Smith on Friday gave Riley the maximum sentence under federal guidelines as more than a dozen of his supporters observed, several of them in tears.

"Twenty-one months, to tell you the truth, is the deal of the century from where I’m concerned,” Smith said, adding that he had serious doubt Riley understood the gravity of his crime.

“What you did here was not engaging in a flight of fancy. There was a real person on the other side of this crime,” Smith said.

He continued: “That you didn’t do this in a physical way does not make it go away. What you did was in a psychological way.”

Smith recommended that Riley serve his time at a prison where he would receive sex-offender treatment. Riley must register as a sex offender upon his release.

Smith imposed rigorous conditions on Riley upon his release, including a requirement that he submit to lie-detector tests to ensure his compliance with substance-abuse, mental-health and sex-offender treatment, and that he be subject to law-enforcement searches whenever there is a reasonable suspicion.

Riley shall not use electronics without probation approval or have contact with anyone younger than 18 unless accompanied by an adult with knowledge of his crime, and also with probation approval. He will not be allowed to loiter anywhere children congregate, or to work or volunteer in proximity to children.

Barton described Riley cultivating a relationship with the 15-year-old girl over five months in 2016 while working as a police officer. At the time, the girl was the same age as his daughter.

"He knew that they can easily fall victim to people online," Barton said.

Riley, posing as a 29-year-old physical therapist from Boston, knew the girl’s age as he continued an online relationship with her, even asking her when she would turn 16 and alluding to a future meeting. They chatted about her Spanish class, a math test, and when her high school let out, Barton said.

Riley's contact with the teen only stopped after the girl's mother discovered their communications, which included a photo of his erect penis and video of him masturbating, according to authorities.

"This is a man who took control of a 15-year-old kid, and he victimized her time and time again for his own sexual gratification," Barton said.

Since then, the teenager has regularly seen a psychiatrist and taken medication for anxiety, Barton said, adding that the girl, once a "social butterfly," now struggles to let people in.

"She has mental breakdowns. ... She now struggles to trust," she said.

Barton told of Riley's electronic browsing history, revealing that he continued to troll the internet some 11 months after losing contact with the teen, searching for videos of adults engaged in sex with pre-teens.

In one conversation, he communicated with a person who described having sex with his daughter and her friends, Barton said. Other searches included a mother and young son engaged in sex acts, she said.

"The content is upsetting and it's revolting," Barton said.

Riley's lawyers, William J. Murphy and Anthony Traini, argued for a sentence of probation and home confinement. Murphy emphasized that the teen was far across the country and that Riley had never actually made physical contact with her. Riley otherwise lived a life dedicated to his family and community service, he said.

Riley also spoke, apologizing to the teenager, federal authorities, and the police department where he worked for 28 years.

"It was immoral and it was illegal," he said of his conduct.

He pleaded for Smith to allow him to remain in the community to see his 18-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son reach their life milestones.

"They have been on an emotional ride they didn't ask to be on," he said, his face growing brighter red throughout the proceedings.

Smith responded that he was offended that Riley would try to use his children to gain leniency.

"You should have thought of that before engaging in this conduct," Smith said.

State and federal investigators searched Riley's home and his patrol car in May 2017, almost a year after the girl's parents contacted authorities. He retired the next month.

Riley was later indicted by a federal grand jury. In November, he agreed to plead guilty to the allegations.

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